December 25th of any year is about celebrating family, gifts, tree, tinsel, food parties, and a good football game! Right?!?
If we were to believe all the reports about this holy day (holiday), then this is exactly the celebration of this time period. People say “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays” to strangers everywhere, but nothing said, nor done, resembles what that original birth morning must have been like! In fact, many cultures will not use the word “merry” in conjunction with “Christmas” because it has a connotation of rowdiness and drunkenness. Well, “happy” Christmas doesn’t feel right, so I’ll give you a toned down Merry Christmas!
We hear common phrases like, “That’s what it’s all about!”, and whether Thanksgiving or Christmas, it seems the only reason the holidays exist is to put food on the table, or gifts under the tree – “That’s what it’s all about!” recites the reporter. Every hungry person deserves turkey and dressing, and every child deserves a present under the tree. We feel our duty met when we stand in a Turkey Day line handing out goodies, taking blankets to the homeless, or deliver gifts to a toy drive.
We’ve met the need of the season. Now. What channel is the game of the day on? Who’s playing who?
Innundated with Christmas wishes via all the social media platforms, texts, emails, and social posts start Christmas Eve encouraging everyone to shop, shop, and shop some more! Smashing sales as the holiday approaches and even deeper discounts the day after and on till year-end. “Gotta sell off the store so our bottom line looks good to the investors!”
Please, may I share an excerpt from a favored Christmas Carol about this special day? It’s a song we’ve sung but have probably not paid much attention to the message.
The First Noel, last verse:
Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee;
And offered there in his presence,
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
Nowhere did I read about a tree, or a jolly man with a sleigh full of toys. But I did hear about gifts. Gifts they gave, not gifts they received.
“…and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)
Luke does not record this event as much of what he focused on was the immediate night of the birth. Matthew adds depth to the story by describing the arrival of Wise Men from the east who were following “his star” and they find the babe in a house – nothing of which describes a manger!
Still, the Wise Men fall down and Worship the child and presents him with gifts. We focus on the objects of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh, but what do they mean? That’s really the Key to understanding their symbolism.
Gold
Today we treasure gold because it shows and perhaps stores value. Jewelry. Coins. Bullion. Folks collect, and horde this commodity for the value it has at present and the potential value of the future.
But in its raw form, Gold comes out of the ground, waterways and from mines deep in the earth. It is shaped based on where it is found and the pressures that created its form. It takes much work to recover and then to mold it into the present form that we purchase and store.
Regardless, Gold has been presented as a treasure to a King by those who come to honor him. And this has happened for thousands of years. It is a recognized honor to give tribute to the King. Something of value that represents hard work to acquire. Gold is given to a King.
Here’s an example a few hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. The Queen of Sheba travels to meet with Solomon, and presents him with:
“…spices, and very much gold, and precious stones:…” (1 Kings 10:1-2)
Why? Read the entire story and you will understand that she had heard of him, and his knowledge concerning the “name of the Lord” and she wanted to ask him some really hard questions! So. She brought him some treasures!
We often come to Jesus with hat in hand and beg something from him, all without bringing him our treasure. What do you treasure the most? Maybe you have no Gold, but there is something that Jesus treasures more - your heart. Click To TweetJesus teaches us about what we treasure, and where our treasures should be.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21, NKJV)
Where your treasure is, that is where your heart is. If we will give him our greatest treasure, our heart, then we will have stored up treasures in heaven that can never be made worthless! It is your heart that he wants, not what your potential material wealth might be, so do not hesitate to give him your whole heart!
Frankincense
Frankincense is essentially the resin that comes from a tree of the Boswellia genus. It is aromatic, and yellow in color. Just as maple sap is drawn from trees to produce wonderful tasting syrup, frankincense is bled from the tree, collected, dried and stored for future use.
It is very aromatic and is used for many purposes, but in the in Bible, we find that it was used in the mixture that represented the prayers of the people and was a sweet smelling savor to God, and man. The incense stood before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holiest of Holies. It was the last thing to pass by before the High Priest entered the Holiest of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant stood containing the testimony of God’s dealings with his people.
- The tablets of stone that contained the 10 Commandments (The Law)
- A pot that contained the Manna (The Bread) (Exodus 16:34)
- Aaron’s Rod that Budded (The Chosen) (Numbers 17:8)
Only the High Priest could touch the incense, and it could not be replicated for personal use. (Exodus 30:34–38).
So, Frankincense presented to the babe denoted his role as the High Priest! The Wise Men may not have fully understood the gift, but New Testament writers did! Jesus is described as our High Priest who has priestly roles to play in our lives.
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16, NKJV)
Jesus is our High Priest and we need him in this Priestly role in our lives! But perhaps you cannot have him in this role unless you are willing to give him your valuable treasure as mentioned above.
Myrrh
Perhaps the strangest gift of all was Myrrh. It is another resin from another tree, or bush, of the genus Commiphora. If you’ve been around any length of time then you have probably used Campho-Phenique from the Camphor tree. It’s medicinal and very, very aromatic! In my mind, it must be what Myrrh smelled like when it was applied.
In Egypt, Myrrh was used at death in the embalming process. It was also mingled with Wine and from my research, it produces a numbing sensation so someone will not feel pain. This is what they gave Jesus on the cross that he refused. (Mark 15:23) It is also what Nicodemus gave to be used to anoint the body of Jesus in his tomb. (John 19:39)
So. With the knowledge of Myrrh from their culture and history, Mary and Joseph knew that this gift was appropriate for the future suffering and death of Jesus. They knew the meaning of this gift, and with the miracles, angels, dreams and Godly interference, they understood that this child, Jesus, was truly Emmanuel, God With Us. He would become the Savior of his people. (Matthew 1:21)
Maybe we all need to recognize that Jesus is indeed our only hope of Salvation. The Apostle Peter knew this when he proclaimed the saving name of Jesus to the religious leaders of Israel:
“Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12, NKJV)
There is no other name, nor is there any other way. His death, burial, and resurrection prove he is our Saviour! It’s not by his birth, but by his resurrection that we find salvation.
Jesus is recognized as our King, High Priest, and Savior – Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. The three best gifts from those three Wise Men 2,000 years ago. Maybe we can resurrect those gifts in our heart as we honor Jesus, yesterday… today… and forever…
One final thought. This phrase has been in my framework since I was a teenager at Life Tabernacle in Houston, Texas (Rev James Kilgore). Our youth pastor (Dicky McCreight) said this all the times. It is in my vocabulary and belief system, and I share it with you.
By a life I did not live, and a death I did not die, I rest my whole eternity.